...and then a perfect ending to our perfect day - reading a book with Uma...

I have so much to be thankful for this year that I barely even know where to start... of course I am the most thankful for having our beautiful daughter in our lives. I can't even imagine a day without her in it. I am thankful that her birth mother had the courage to place her for adoption, I am thankful for the love and care her foster mother gave her the first year of her life, and I am thankful that we were led to adoption. I am thankful for my wonderful husband and all of the love and support he gives me, and for being the world's best father to Poppy. I am thankful for my family and friends, for our home, our jobs and our health. And the list can go on and on, because I am truly blessed. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too!

Monday, November 24, 2008

We had a great fun-filled weekend. First thing Friday morning, we were off to Explore & More, a local children's museum. I took Poppy there about 2 months ago and she didn't really seem to have a good time. She was pretty much glued to my leg and could have cared less about any of the exhibits. This time it was a different story. As soon as I had her jacket off, she hit the ground running and just couldn't decide which exhibit to go to first! It's so exciting to see such a change in her.

She finally decided on playing with the fake food first. Of course - anything to do with food. Here she is telling me to stop touching her fruit.

Then it was off for some deep concentration while trying to get this fake door unlocked.

One of her favorite things was definitely the rice table. Unfortunately we had to move away once she started trying to eat the rice. Eeeew, can you imagine how dirty it is?!

And by the time we got to "Vietnam", it was a little too close to nap-time, so we finally called it a day.

Then Saturday it was off to the Holiday Inn for some indoor swimming. Courtney's mom and aunt came into town for the weekend and were kind enough to invite the entire crew to crash their party.

Here she is getting attacked by aunt Courtney. Doesn't look like she mind's a bit!

Although Little Miss decided that she didn't want to go swimming, she did enjoy watching her cousins swim, and even thought it was funny to get splashed.

And then we even managed to get ourselves a jogging stroller that can handle all of the snow that is going to be coming our way this winter. On Sunday we took to it to Delaware Park for a test ride and I love it! Can't believe we waited this long to get one!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Apparently Poppy isn't a big fan of the snow. As in, she gave me the scared-to-death-grip and started crying when she saw that our car was covered in it. She'll get used to it, right? She lives in Buffalo - she's got to get used to it!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Do you detect a little attitude in these pictures? Oh yeah. Guess what the newest addition to her vocabulary is. "No." And it is oh so cute. I know I should be totally discouraging when she says it, but I just can't help giggle each time. Her personality is really beginning to shine through and my mom likes to describe it with one word: stubborn. If she sees that I'm getting out the stuff to change her diaper, she freezes, folds her arms on her chest and pouts. And refuses to move. If I catch her playing with a pen, she'll hide it behind her back, with a death grip. How does she know to do that?

This is her friend Andrew, who only calls her by her full name, Poppy Han-Yeong.

It's so much fun to see her interacting with kids more. She finally feels comfortable enough to get off my lap and actually play. And she's becoming more independent. We are no longer allowed to even touch her spoon during meals, which can get pretty messy, especially during yogurt time. Every time we get out of the car she loves to run up and down the sidewalk and have me chase her. Our teacher at music school just complemented on how far she has come since the first week when she just clung to my shoulder crying. Now she is one of the first kids to run to the instruments and start banging away, I mean, make music.

I just can't believe that I have the privilege to be this little girls mama. I'm pretty sure I am the luckiest woman in the world.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Her newest trick is trying to grab the lens every time she sees me taking pictures. So I have a lot of close-up pictures with this lovely expression on her face.

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Marc's sister, Jeanna, got married this weekend. We hosted a bridal luncheon before the wedding and then all of the bridesmaids got ready at our house. Poppy woke up from her nap to a house full of 12 girls running all over with curling irons, hair spray, big dresses and lots of make-up. Confused would be an understatement. Here she is taking it all in from outside of her bedroom...

Poppy and daddy walking to the church. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was fun, although we both really missed Poppy.

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Then Sunday night was our annual trip to the Hurd Orchard for a Thanksgiving Tasting.

Everything was sooo delicious that most of us agreed this was the best year yet. My favorite part is that they give you a recipe book with recipes of everything you taste. I can't wait to try a bunch of them out!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

This first pic has nothing to do with Halloween, but I just wanted you all to see what lunchtime is like over at our house lately. Super fun.

And now onto the Halloween festivities. Last night was spent carving our pumpkins. Poppy seemed to have a really good time. Especially since she thought the pumpkins were there to eat...

This afternoon I tried a recipe for Caramel Apple cupcakes to bring to a halloween party. Didn't they turn out cute?

Then we had a baby giraffe escape from the zoo and pillage all of my mommy's books (can you tell by the bottom lip hanging out that she knows she was doing something she wasn't supposed to?).

Luckily for the baby giraffe, she was so cute that mommy just couldn't be mad. So we were off to do some trick-or-treating.

I believe it was at this house that she started telling everyone "All done."

It was so much fun getting Poppy all dressed up and going out trick-or-treating for her first time. She could have cared less about wearing her costume, and every time someone tried to give her a piece of candy, she would get another piece of candy out of her bag and give it back to them. My girl knows how to share.